Happy New Year!
As some of you may or may not know, I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, sometime in the late 1900s. You might also remember that Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics, famous for its heartwarming underdog stories like Eddie the Eagle and the Jamaican Bobsled Team.
During that time, the City created Olympic Plaza in the downtown core, right across from City Hall. As part of the celebration, they offered citizens the chance to buy and personalize a brick to be laid in the plaza, FOREVER. The price for this slice of immortality? Just $19.88, which included one line of text. My Dad bought one.
I don’t recall ever seeing the brick in person back then. Fast forward to 2024 when, in the name of progress, the City announced plans to remove all the bricks, transform Olympic Plaza, and expand the adjacent Performing Arts Centre as part of the Arts Commons Transformation Project.
To give people a chance to say goodbye, the City set up a website where you could locate your brick, to then take pictures, or visit it one last time. Searching for our brick in 2024, however, was impossible. I had no idea what was written on it. Every variation of our names returned zero results. Then, somehow, my Dad found the old purchase order, which revealed what was inscribed on our brick. I could only laugh when I found out what it said.
With that information in hand, I found the approximate location of our brick and made a trip to Olympic Plaza with my son, sister, and nephew. We paid homage to a silly old brick and took some photos.
You’re probably wondering what our brick says. Did we go with something simple and logical, like our family surname? No. That would’ve been too boring, too ordinary. Instead, we chose five seemingly random bits of text, gibberish to anyone but our family. Over time, those nicknames lost their meaning, and I had to dive deep into my memories to remember them. To 5 people in the world, it makes sense.
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GLC VIN NUFF KISS BOO |
I was satisfied with the photos but then read that some brick owners wanted their bricks and were upset they weren't being saved or relocated. I guess all the complaints made a difference and the City saved as many as they could and you could register to pick up your brick. I had missed the deadline but somehow, and unsurprisingly, my Dad made some calls and probably several emails and was able to find our brick and he picked it up just a few days ago.
I now have the brick and plan to clean it thoroughly, because let's be honest, it has to have accumulated a variety of unknown pathogens and germs since 1988.
Over the last 36 years, these bricks have witnessed the hustle and bustle of downtown life in Olympic Plaza. The good, such as ice skating in the winter and also celebrations and events, but also the bad parts that come with being in a high traffic and high crime area.
If bricks could talk....
Love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks BW!
Delete...and who could forget Eddie The Eagle?
ReplyDeleteRight? What a story, my mom was able to see him jump.
DeleteWonderful! Your story made me smile. Thanks Jenn
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading!
DeleteThanks for the memories Jenn! Awesome story and glad you found your brick! ♥️
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was a nice surprise by my Dad who didn't tell me was trying to get it!
DeleteIncredible! So glad you were able to get the brick! Are you one of the nicknames?!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather, yes I am 'Nuff' lol. It's my Dad, Mom, Me, Middle Sis, Youngest Sis
DeleteQuite the saga! Glad you were able to get your unique brick back!
ReplyDeleteThanks Debra, it will make a good garden decoration or door stop lol!
DeleteGreat story! Glad you got the brick back!
ReplyDeleteThanks, it was great that the city listened to the people!
DeleteWell it's a forever brick for you after all. It's just not forever where you were told that the brick would be.
ReplyDeleteLOL true!!
DeleteWhat a story and now it becomes part of the brick's story.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and sentimental journey! It’s amazing how something as simple as a brick can carry so many memories and stories over the years. GLC VIN NUFF KISS BOO—what a delightful set of personal nicknames! It’s clear that this brick, while a small part of Olympic Plaza, holds a much bigger meaning for your family.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine the nostalgia that hit when you finally found it, after all these years. The idea that the City was removing the bricks for good was a bit heart-wrenching, but it’s great that your Dad pulled through and got the brick back. Now it can be part of your family’s history in a new way—one that no one else will truly understand, but to you, it’s priceless.
You’ve definitely got me thinking about the small, quirky things in life that become much more meaningful over time. It's interesting to think about what else those bricks witnessed throughout the years—I'm sure there are countless stories, from the joyous moments to the not-so-pleasant ones.
Now that you've got the brick back, I bet it’ll become a special keepsake for your family. Maybe one day, your kids will be telling their kids about the “famous” GLC VIN NUFF KISS BOO brick and its place in Olympic history!
Wishing you a great Wednesday: I just shared a new post: [https://www.melodyjacob.com/]